Multi-Use Fields

A closer look at the details and what it takes to make them last

By Joshua Koss

When I think of multi-use fields and what it takes to provide a safe and consistent surface, I immediately think strategy—from inception to field maintenance. Athletic fields fail because of the following:

Photo: © Can Stock Photo / rausinphoto

• Overuse
• Lack of field-maintenance equipment
• Lack of a field-maintenance budget
• Design/construction errors
• Improper maintenance practices.

When a community wants to build a multi-use field, all stakeholders should be brought into the conversation. This creates ownership of the field from the beginning. Stakeholders should answer these questions:

• What does the agency want the field for?
• Who will use it?
• How will it be used?
• How important to the agency is safety, cost, durability, playability, and aesthetics?

After these questions are answered, another set of questions needs to be asked:

• Who will be scheduling programming of the field?
• Will the department employ a qualified sports-turf manager to maintain it?
• Will the department have the resources to protect the asset and maintain it properly?
• Who will have the ability to provide input on the programming of the field?

After these questions are answered, the agency should know whether to build a field or not. If a field is to be built, the goal for all stakeholders should be a safe, consistent product.

Trends
Many communities are looking at building more multi-functional than single-sport facilities. Quite often, when the decision is made to construct them, the community wants to utilize them as much as possible.

However, some communities move away from multi-use fields when incorporating a skinned infield as part of the rectangle-field dimensions because the infield dirt—combined with grass or synthetic turf—presents challenges, such as wet dirt, dust, and a buildup of lips that require diligence in maintaining a safe surface.

Many of these newly constructed facilities have synthetic turf as a component, or in some cases, all of the fields are synthetic. Wet spring weather and rainy seasons have pushed institutions towards synthetic turf as well. Constructing multi-use, natural-grass fields seems less-appealing because the fields need time to recuperate.

Photo: © Can Stock Photo / lmphot

Pre-Construction Considerations
When preparing to build a new facility, remember that the playability of a field depends on the soil. Can the soil return to a playable condition after heavy rain, excessive dry conditions, or excessive usage? If the soil is poor, the water will not drain; instead, it will either evaporate or stay on the surface to dry. Regardless of whether the field is synthetic or natural grass, drainage is paramount. If internal drainage is out of the budget, make sure the surface is laser-graded so water exits the surface quickly. This will reduce rainouts and downtime after rain events, and maximize use potential.

If a synthetic surface is preferred, it is important to evaluate life-cycle costs to maintain the surface, as well as the grooming equipment to take care of it.

If a natural-grass surface is preferred, be sure to select the appropriate grass for the field’s climate, as well as a type that can recover after vigorous wear and tear. Be sure to research the more aggressive types of warm- or cool-season grasses for the specific geographic area.

A natural-grass surface is only as good as the irrigation that supports it—especially in arid regions. Make sure the irrigation system is designed properly. And remember that synthetic-turf fields need irrigation, too. In arid climates, it is important to have water as a tool to cut static on the surface and water in top-dressing material.

A playing surface that is built larger than needed allows the field to be shifted or rotated in different locations to alter traffic and wear patterns.

Post-Construction Points
Once the ribbon has been cut and the fanfare has ended, it’s now time to establish rules for field usage and enforce them. Be vigilant in knowing who is using the field, and change the rules as needed to protect the facility.

Another important element is understanding the individual sports that will be played on the field and the traffic patterns for each one. For example, with soccer, play the field from side-to-side with smaller age groups, then long-ways with the older age groups. Switch programming to allow high-traffic areas some rest.

Budgeting Maintenance
The priorities of safety, durability, playability, and aesthetics should be considered to determine a budget. A qualified sports-turf manager can prioritize properly according to the department’s needs.

For natural-turf fields:

• Soil management. A plant will never outperform the soil in which it grows. Have soil chemically tested annually (or semiannually) to assess nutrient deficiencies. You can’t manage what you don’t measure!

• Aeration. This cultural practice is imperative for a natural-grass field’s success. It promotes surface drainage, alleviates compaction, and creates pores in the soil for roots to infiltrate. Aeration should occur a few times during the growing season.

• Mowing. Know the recommended height of cut for a grass species, and keep it on the higher end to reduce wear. Growth rate should dictate when a field is mowed. Do not cut more than 1/3 of the grass blade. Proper mowing practices can positively impact a budget by suppressing disease and weeds, as well as promoting a denser grass canopy that can withstand traffic.

• Fertilization. Avoid flushes of growth by frequently spoon-feeding the grass at low rates. Use slow-release fertilizer to feed the grass. This will help to avoid breaking the 1/3 rule.

• Irrigation. Irrigate deep and infrequently. Keep things on the dry side. This will keep footing consistent and roots pushing downward. The primary goal when maintaining a natural-grass field is to promote root growth during the growing season. The longer the roots, the more durable the grass plant.

• Targeted-maintenance practices. There are some natural-grass field-maintenance tasks that can be manipulated to save operational costs—such as targeting the high-traffic areas, aerating only in compacted areas, and only fertilizing the weak spots to help them recover.

For synthetic-turf fields:

Synthetic-turf manufacturers provide recommended maintenance guidelines of surfaces during the warranty period. These fields require a considerable amount of topdressing material. It’s helpful to store spare turf for patching areas and to have turf adhesive on hand. It’s also helpful to apply disinfectant to the surface.

A multi-use athletic field (synthetic turf or natural grass) is always in a recuperative state. It needs scheduled time for rest or maintenance. If maintained properly, a natural-grass field will appreciate via root growth.

Which Is Better?
In many cases, a properly built natural-grass field is cheaper to build and maintain than installing a synthetic field. Both require the same amount of maintenance to protect the asset, but the synthetic-turf field depreciates regardless of how much maintenance is performed.

Joshua Koss, CSFM, is the STMA Director and Landscape Services Manager at San Diego State University. Reach him at (619) 594-1793, or jkoss@sdsu.edu.